There would be no conflict in eastern Ukraine if Russia were not providing tanks - US department

U.S. Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Mark C. Toner stated that the U.S. have witnessed "writ large, a lack of serious effort to comply with any of the commitments that Russia and the separatists have made regarding Minsk. And we’ve seen ongoing violations of the ceasefire, and I know we’ve been back forth on that or who’s to blame for that".

Referring to the OSCE observations and reports, the spokesperson said that the U.S. beleive "the preponderance of those ceasefire violations are on the part of separatist forces – again, supplied and also helped by Russian military... There would be no conflict in eastern Ukraine if Russia were not providing tanks, armored vehicles, heavy artillery, military personnel to the separatists".

The U.S. are making very clear over the last time that Russian troops, command and control on the ground in eastern Ukraine. These undeniable facts, are confirmed with showing satellite imagery, attests to the violation of the Minsk protocol.

A year ago, September 5, agreement for resolving conflict in the eastern part of Ukraine, Donbas, was signed in Minsk. The sides of the treaty are representatives of the Ukrainian government, leaders of Russian-backed militants, and the Russian Federation, in the presence of OSCE.